Orphaned at 12 years of age, Garret dropped out of 7th grade and went to work to support his younger sister(Ruth) & younger brother(Egbert). He did so until Egbert graduated watch repair school & Ruth graduated high school to work at the Upjohn Company & later enlist in the WACs during WW II.
Garret went on the become Chairman of the Board of the American National Bank & Trust Co. of Kalamazoo without further formal education with the exception of bank sponsored financial courses. After retirement at age 70, he maintained an office in the bank building to serve the many bank clients that would come into the bank & ask for financial advice from "Van".
He married Arline Viola Howe in 1933 and they had two children (John Allen VanHaaften of Manistee, MI & Jean Edith VanHaaften-DiMarino of Prato, Italy).
He was a life member of the First Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. He served one term on the Kalamazoo City Commission.
Garret went on the become Chairman of the Board of the American National Bank & Trust Co. of Kalamazoo without further formal education with the exception of bank sponsored financial courses. After retirement at age 70, he maintained an office in the bank building to serve the many bank clients that would come into the bank & ask for financial advice from "Van".
He married Arline Viola Howe in 1933 and they had two children (John Allen VanHaaften of Manistee, MI & Jean Edith VanHaaften-DiMarino of Prato, Italy).
He was a life member of the First Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. He served one term on the Kalamazoo City Commission.
Orphaned at 12 years of age, Garret dropped out of 7th grade and went to work to support his younger sister(Ruth) & younger brother(Egbert). He did so until Egbert graduated watch repair school & Ruth graduated high school to work at the Upjohn Company & later enlist in the WACs during WW II.
Garret went on the become Chairman of the Board of the American National Bank & Trust Co. of Kalamazoo without further formal education with the exception of bank sponsored financial courses. After retirement at age 70, he maintained an office in the bank building to serve the many bank clients that would come into the bank & ask for financial advice from "Van".
He married Arline Viola Howe in 1933 and they had two children (John Allen VanHaaften of Manistee, MI & Jean Edith VanHaaften-DiMarino of Prato, Italy).
He was a life member of the First Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. He served one term on the Kalamazoo City Commission.
Garret went on the become Chairman of the Board of the American National Bank & Trust Co. of Kalamazoo without further formal education with the exception of bank sponsored financial courses. After retirement at age 70, he maintained an office in the bank building to serve the many bank clients that would come into the bank & ask for financial advice from "Van".
He married Arline Viola Howe in 1933 and they had two children (John Allen VanHaaften of Manistee, MI & Jean Edith VanHaaften-DiMarino of Prato, Italy).
He was a life member of the First Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. He served one term on the Kalamazoo City Commission.
